The present invention relates to a casino poker game and, more particularly, to a casino poker game incorporating a two-hand result against a dealer as well as a proposition wager that is based on respective hand ranks of the player hands.
Pai Gow Poker is normally played in a casino or card club environment. The game was originally based on Chinese Dominoes or Pai Gow, and the card version may be known by other names such as Asian Poker and Double Hand as in this text. The deck is a regular 52-card deck with a Joker added comprising a total 53-card deck. The game may be played by up to six players and one bank with the dealer commonly being the banker in a casino but a player commonly being the banker in a card club. The text assumes dealer as banker for simplicity.
Although Double Hand is growing significantly, the game has certain rituals and practices that tend to slow the game pace and is limited to six players only as each player and dealer receive seven cards. Also, the use of commission on winnings to generate a house advantage is detrimental to a fast dealing pace.
A bet is made before cards are dealt. Each player is dealt seven cards and forms a five-card high hand and a two-card low hand. The five-card hand is based on normal poker rankings, and the two-card hand is based on pairs and high cards. The two-card hand must not be higher than the five-card hand. Each player hand is compared to the corresponding dealer hands. To win the bet, both hands must win, and to lose the bet, both hands must lose. If one hand wins and one loses, it is a tie, known as push.
The house advantage is generated by two means. Firstly, a commission as a percentage of winnings is paid on all winning hands, usually 5%. Secondly, the house wins all copy hands, that is, where either the high or low hand is tied. Thus, the player with a copy and a loss loses, whilst the player with a copy and a win pushes.
A dealer having to determine and deduct 5% of bets is time consuming. Double Hand would play faster if the commission aspect could be removed. Also, dealers normally deal the maximum number of seven-card hands regardless of the number of players and distribute cards by random selection of a first player by using dice or an illuminated display from 1 to 6 set into the table. If Double Hand could be dealt to seven players, rather than six, as with most other casino card games, table utilization could be improved.
The game according to the invention, so-called 3xc3x973 Double Hand, is played on a Blackjack or Poker shaped table with a dealer and a regular deck of 52 cards or with 53 cards if using the Joker version. Prior to receiving a hand, each player places a wager to participate in the basic double hand game and an optional double bonus wager if choosing to do so.
The dealer deals to each player and self in rotation, one card at a time, giving each player and self a total of six cards. Each player forms a high three-card poker hand and a low three-card poker hand. After each player has set their hands (i.e., set a high hand and a low hand), the dealer hands are exposed and are compared under the double hand rules, wherein a player wins if, for example, both high and low win, loses if both high and low lose, and pushes if winning either high or low and losing the other hand. The dealer preferably wins copy hands, so player win and copy is a push, and player lose and copy, or player copy and copy are both player losses.
The double bonus wager is paid regardless of the result against the dealer and according to the game payoffs. For example, if both high and low are a Pair or better, then a double pair payoff is paid. If both high and low are a Flush or better, then a double flush payoff is paid. This methodology is extended to double ranks of Straight, Three of a Kind, and Straight Flush.
In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method of playing a two-hand poker game using one or more decks of playing cards includes the steps of receiving a double-hand wager and an optional bonus wager from a player, and dealing six cards to the player and six cards to a dealer. Player and dealer each form a high three-card hand and a low three-card hand. The double-hand wagers are resolved according to game rules based on a comparison of the player high and low three-card hands and the dealer high and low three-card hands, respectively. The optional bonus wager, if received from the player, is resolved according to respective hand ranks of the player high and low three-card hands.
The step of resolving the double-hand wagers may be practiced by (i) paying wagers when the player high three-card hand and the player low three-card hand beat the dealer high three-card hand and the dealer low three-card hand, respectively, (ii) pushing wagers when one of the player high and low three-card hands beats the respective dealer high and low three-card hand and the other of the player high and low three-card hands loses to the respective other dealer high and low three-card hand, and (iii) taking wagers when the player high three-card hand and the player low three-card hand lose to the dealer high three-card hand and the dealer low three-card hand, respectively.
In this context, step (ii) may be practiced by pushing wagers when one of the player high and low three-card hands beats the respective dealer high and low three-card hand and the other of the player high and low three-card hands ties the respective other dealer high and low three-card hand. Step (iii) may be practiced by taking wagers when one of the player high and low three-card hands loses to the respective dealer high and low three-card hand and the other of the player high and low three-card hands ties the respective other dealer high and low three-card hand or when the player high three-card hand and the player low three-card hand tie the dealer high three-card hand and the dealer low three-card hand, respectively.
The optional bonus wager is preferably resolved by paying wagers when each of the player high and low three-card hands exceeds a predetermined hand rank. Increasing payouts may be paid for increasing hand ranks, wherein possible hand ranks include, in descending order:
Straight Flushxe2x80x94Three Cards Suited in Sequence,
Three of a Kindxe2x80x94Three Cards of a Same Rank,
Straightxe2x80x94Three Cards in Sequence,
Flushxe2x80x94Three Cards Suited,
Pairxe2x80x94Two Cards of a Same Rank, and
High Cardxe2x80x94None of the Above.
The predetermined hand rank for the optional bonus wager is preferably a pair, such that the bonus wager is paid when each of the player high and low three-card hands exceeds at least a pair.
The method may further include qualifying the dealer low three-card hand, wherein an unqualified dealer low hand is declared as a tie, and the double-hand wager is resolved according to a comparison of the player high three-card hand and the dealer high three-card hand. In one operating mode, the one or more decks of playing cards contain at least one Joker, which is considered as a wild card. The player and dealer may use the at least one Joker, but with the usage extent limited and different for the player and the dealer.
The resolution of the double-hand wagers is determined by comparing hand ranks of the player high and low three-card hands and the dealer high and low three-card hands, respectively. Possible ranks correspond to those noted above.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a casino card game includes at least one deck of playing cards, and a game table. The game table is provided with a first betting area for receiving a double-hand wager, a second betting area for receiving an optional bonus wager, and a player card area and a dealer card area each for receiving six cards dealt by a dealer to the player. The player card area and the dealer card area each contain a high hand area and a low hand area for receiving player and dealer high three-card hands and low three-card hands, respectively. The double-hand wager is resolved according to game rules based on a comparison of the player high and low three-card hands and the dealer high and low three-card hands, respectively. The optional bonus wager, if received from the player, is resolved according to respective hand ranks of the player high and low three-card hands.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of playing a two-hand poker game using one or more decks of playing cards includes the steps of receiving a double-hand wager and an optional bonus wager from the player, and dealing a plurality of cards to the player and the corresponding plurality of cards to a dealer. The player and dealer each form a high hand including some of the plurality of cards and a low hand including others of the plurality of cards. The double-hand wager is resolved according to game rules, and the optional bonus wager, if received from the player, is resolved according to respective hand ranks of the player high and low hands, regardless of the resolution of the double-hand wager.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer program to carry out the method according to the present invention of playing a two-hand poker game using one or more decks of playing cards. The computer includes a processor, an input communicating with the processor, and a display, wherein the processor enables the steps of the described method.